BOSTON, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Boston
athletics family was saddened by the passing of longtime friend and
colleague Rodney Hughes, who passed away early last week, he was
63. Hughes survived by his wife, Faye, three children, Devon,
Errin, Chanel-Shearez, and three grandchildren, Terrence, Trenton,
and Tatum.

Hughes, a former assistant men’s basketball coach,
Director of Community Outreach and Assistant Athletics Director at
UMass Boston will be laid to rest this Friday in a special ceremony
held in the Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium.

“Rodney was a man of integrity, he walked with great
dignity. He believed his mission in life was to serve others
and he did that with great passion,” said longtime friend and
Vice Chancellor of Athletics and Recreation Charlie Titus.

A member of the men’s basketball coaching staff for over
30 years, Hughes played an instrumental part in establishing the
first-ever varsity program at UMass Boston alongside Titus.
Hughes coached in a variety of basketball leagues throughout the
city including the Boston Amateur Basketball Club. A member
of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Hughes was
appointed to the organization’s Assistant Coaches Committee
in 1992.

He also spent over 30 years as a member of the International
Association of Basketball Officials and in 1999 was inducted into
the organization’s Hall of Fame. He was most recently
inducted into the UMass Boston Athletics Hall of Fame as a founding
member of the first-ever UMass Boston men’s basketball club
team alongside Titus.

When not on the hardwood, Hughes was an integral part in the
local Boston community serving as the athletic department’s
Directory of Community Outreach. During his time, he served
as the project administrator for the National Youth Sports Program
which offered a camp at no charge for more than 500 children in the
greater Boston area each summer and also established and ran the
Reggie Lewis basketball camp along with the late Reggie
Lewis. Throughout his many years working with the local
community Hughes influenced countless children and families and
made it his life mission to better their lives anyway he could.

A viewing will be held on Friday, May 24 at 9 a.m. in the Clark
Athletic Center Gymnasium on the campus of UMass Boston. The
service will then be held promptly at 10 a.m. followed by a repass
in the Clark Athletic Center lobby. For more information
please contact Maria Marcelino at maria.marcelino@umb.edu.

Floral Arrangements – if you wish to send an arrangement,
the delivery address is UMASS Boston, Clark Athletic Center, 100
Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125. We are accepting
deliveries on Thursday, May 23rd between 3-6 p.m. and again on
Friday, May 24th between 7-8 a.m.